Metallica Divvy Polar Music Prize Donations Amongst Three Charities

Metallica continue to give back, having recently taken their Polar Music Prize winnings and divvying them up amongst three charities that will benefit from their recent accolade.

Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo attended the ceremony last Thursday (June 14), where they were granted one million Swedish Kroner (just over $130,000) from King Carl XVI Gustav. The annual prize is awarded to artists who celebrate music in various forms and to break down boundaries by bringing people of different geographical and musical diversities together. Metallica's All Within My Hands charitable foundation has announced that 50 percent of the financial prize will go to the Stockholm City Mission, which supports the homeless, while 25 percent apiece will go to the World Childhood Foundation and the Afghanistan National Institute of Music.

The Afghanistan National Institute of Music was founded by Dr. Ahmad Sarmast and ANIM in 2010 in response to the country's civil war and destruction of their musical tradition. Sarmast was also a Polar Music Prize laureate this year, honored alongside Metallica.

"Many of the Polar Music Prize Laureates over the years have donated their prize money to charity,” Marie Ledin, managing director of the Prize, told Billboard. “It’s not something we ask of them, but we appreciate their generosity. I know my father, Stig Anderson, would be very happy and proud to know of our Laureates’ great charitable donations.”

In addition to the awarding of the honor, Metallica were treated to a musical tribute with Ghost's Cardinal Copia, members of Candlemass and Vargas and Lagosa performing "Enter Sandman." The musical portion also included Refused's Dennis Lyxzen and Scorpions drummer Mikkey Dee playing "Whiplash" (seen below) as well as performances by Tuva Syvertsen, Moneybrother, Loreen and Lonely Dear. See more footage from the ceremony and Metallica's members all speaking about the honor in videos posted below.